a predator among the prey
by stefafin
Summary: death runner was a well respected predator. all that lived in the lands feared him. but upon death he was sent to another very firmiliar world. he would find a friend that had a friendship that was eternal.
1. Chapter 1

He was the largest wolf the world had ever seen. 12 feet long from head to tail, standing 5'3'' at the shoulder and weighing 267 pounds. He was the alpha male and ruled over his 25 mile territory. Most wolves can only hunt animals up to small deer, but he could take down a moose single handedly. He was feared by most, except for his pack. He was called death-runner by his pack and earned the title.

Death runner had large green eyes along with fur of pure white, except for a single black stripe along his neck and down his snout. His right eye had three claw marks from when death runner fought and defeated a large black bear on his own when he was only five. At night he spent his time howling loud and powerful roars that the moon wanted to run from. Few could enter his territory and live to tell the tale. Those beings were his prey which he respected and a human female.

Death runner had noticed a rancid and recognizable smell, the smell of death. He ran at the predator who dared enter his territory as if was theirs. He found a small human woman with yellow skin and long pink hair. A black wolf with eyes just as black approached her. Death runner noticed the look on the wolves face. It was a look of happiness as they cornered his prey.

Death runner approached as quietly as possible, masking his scent by covering his large body with the earth. The black wolf snarled, exposing long sharp canines. The wolf approached the human snapping his jaws as it walked. Death runner pounced from the bushes he was hiding in landing in front of the girl. Death runner did not care for most humans but he felt the need to protect this one. He spoke to the wolf in a voice deeper and louder than any wolves "father, leave and find somewhere else to hunt. She and all animals in my territory are mine to take!" the father wolf backed up ever so slowly and lunged forward. Death runner side step he, only receiving a small cut on his chest. He bit down on the black wolf's throat. It let out a booming bark before death runner dropped his limp body.

Death runner turned to the female and looked at her with sympathy. She was frightened deeply as he saw it in her eyes. He approached her causing her to let out a high pitched yelp. While she closed her eyes death runner rubbed his head on her arm. He had seen dogs get close to humans to show compassion. Death runner looked at her, his head only an inch lower than hers. Her feared face slowly faded away as he stood there with sympathy. He never cared for a human, but this one was still getting to him. "It's because she's weak and unprepared. How could this human survive in whatever forest they live in is beyond my comprehension" death runner though.

"t-thank you w-wolf" the human spoke a soft voice. I-I ha-have to go now" she added, fearing the wolf that is death rider. She began to walk away eyeing him as she left. He decided to follow her and escort her to wherever she was heading. His pack found him soon after. "I saw your father dead, and you seem to be following a **live** human, why?" his fellow wolf asked. That wolf was his brother blood bite. "This human shows no sign or intent on our harm. I saved her as our father tried to kill it. I am escorting it to its home brother, nothing more" his brother seemed upset. "But brother, remember what…" he was cut off by a glare from death runner. "I remember what they did to him, and how they killed him with one of their silver tools. This one had none and was going to be killed. It is defenseless like a fawn and I care for this one and you shall too." Blood bite and the other wolves looked concerned but nodded.

Death runner and his pack quietly followed behind her until they reached the clearing. There they found five more humans waiting at the edge. Death runner signaled his fellow pack members to wait until he gave further orders. "There you are fluttershy, we were looking all over for you." A multicolored one spoke, her hair in the colors of a rainbow. "Yes dear, I feared a fearsome beast might have taken you when you suddenly walked away" said, looking at her. Death runner did not take the insult well, even if it wasn't towards him specifically. He stepped out, glaring at the six. He was around the same height as all of them and was bigger if his body was accounted for as well. They all paled and shrieked except for the yellow one, fluttershy.

"Now now, don't be afraid of him girls. He saved me from a big mean wolf and he deserves respect." Fluttershy said, petting under his jaw. Death runner could sense the laughter of his pack as he was being pet. He looked at them and saw they all feared him except fluttershy and a pink one. The white one with purple hair seemed the most afraid. "These humans I despise the most, they fear dirt and other things as well as me. How they aren't dead is a miracle." One of them, an orangeish one with yellow hair approached him. "This big ol' wolf saved ya' fluttershy?" she seemed to be the most nature bound and recovered quicker than the others. He liked this one more than the standard human, he could tell. Death runner walked away and headed back into the forest.

"Hey there Mr. cuddles" blood bite chucked. "You say anything to the pack and you'll end up like the deer we hunt, or enemy packs" death runner added coldly. Blood bite chucked once more "yea, yea. Sure thing fuzzy"

The next day he was walking to find any hostile wolves in the area. He found the human female fluttershy in the forest again. He walked towards her and noticed something. The animals in the area seemed to come to her. She noticed him and put a bone shaped item on the ground. He bit the item to find that it was a food, not a device. He sat near her for the rest of the day. This kept up multiple times for around two weeks. One day a human entered the forest, but it wasn't her.

Death runner approached the human, stalking him from the thick grass. He was larger than the fluttershy human and had the steel tool that killed one of his comrades in past years. He also was standing over a dead deer. Death runner was furious. A human which had killed his game on his land, and was the same human to kill his pack member three years back. Death runner bolted after the human from the grass. The human noticed him and swung the grey tool in his direction. Something resembling lightning came from it as he ran. He was hit by another when he reached him from across the grassy field. Death runner tackled him down and bit at his throat. His 4 ½ inch canines pierced it and he laid dead, only after a sharp long tool resembling a grey leaf entered his chest...

Blood bite ran up to him and looked horrified. "Brother, you are hurt!" he screamed. Death runner noticed the bloody holes that was on his lower neck/ chest area. He also had a slash from the blade on his lower shoulder. "Brother Listen, I fear it is my time. I have lived a good 19 years but I must soon depart. Take care of the pack, new alpha. I have hopes for you"

Death runner limped to the high rocks on a hill. He starred at the moon and felt a tired happiness sweep over him. He had sustained many injuries, but never any that deep. He could feel pain in every breath. He starred at the moon and howled a long pain filled howl. He knew that it would be his last on this world. Dozens of wolves and dogs responded to the well-known wolves final death cry. Death runner said his final words. "Take care brothers, I have faith in you".


	2. meeting her again

Death runner heard his heart beat and felt warm air blow on his ears. He thought he had died, was he in what humans called heaven? He opened his eyes and looked himself over. His fur was now scales of the same color. His tail was longer and reptilian looking. His ears were still there except reptilian as well. Death runner had been turned to a lizard like creature. He was slightly taller, longer and heavier equipped with larger teeth and claws. He had a scaly tongue to match his reptilian features.

Death runner walked along the tree's that were smaller than the ones from his home planet. Everything was more vibrant. He was mostly colorblind as a wolf, but even greys seemed to look more colorful. His longer 6 inch claws make clinking noises on the rocks and his breathing was deeper. He felt more powerful, even small birds avoided him more than usual. The green flowing grass swayed side to side as he walked along the valleys. Eventually a cleared valley with structures humans had lived in came to view. Dozens of them were clustered together. "Where there's shelter there's organisms, and organisms are food." He crouched and began to stalk into the town.

Small horses were living throughout the village. They were any color under the rainbow, with some being rainbow colored. Some were plain, some had horns or wings. They were as big as a fawn, only slightly bulkier. A larger red male walked around the village towering over all of them. He was the alpha male in their herd and he was than all of the males and females (with their being a 6/1 ratio on females to males). The larger red pony was just under a foot taller, but still standing shorter than the average human. Death runner could have a feast.

"Hello fluttershy, how are you doing dear?" a white horned pony asked, questioning a pony of the same size. Death runner was surprised. A yellow skin (fur) and pink hair (mane) pony with the name fluttershy, How was this possible? "I'm fine rarity" fluttershy responded, the same voice as in the world of humans. This was her, he knew it. He found her from another dimension. He approached the familiar pony that was once a person he knew.

"Hello, friend" death runner spoke. He had a deep, fancy sounding voice. the white horned pony turned ( fancy pants, long time no…" she saw it was not a fancy pony with a monocle and a mustache, but a large white dragon and green eyes staring at her mere feet away. "A~ah, dragon!" the white pony screamed before running away. Fluttershy backed away slowly. "I'm not going to hurt you fluttershy, it's me, your friend" she stopped moving a spoke just above a whisper. His wolf hearing allowed him to hear her just fine. "F-f-friend, I-I don't know you" death runner pounded his paw on the ground. "Blast, you don't have any memories of those days. Listen, fluttershy in another world we were friends and I saved your life. But I died and was sent here with those memories but you have none." She looked upset "I-I'm sorry Mr. Dragon" "the names death runner. Who is the smartest person to live in this area?"

A purple pony with a horn was examining him intently. She loved studying new creatures, while death runner hated it. "Listen, is there any way to access my memories and show fluttershy them?" the purple horned pony beamed. "Sure you could have asked, I'll just use my magic" death runner sighed. "I told you before you began studying me, and what's magic?" she looked like she had been hit by lightning, and her mouth was open so far any downward pressure would break it. "You don't have magic, how do your people survive!?" death runner looked her right in the eyes, his nose touching hers. "I kill things to survive" she looked shocked and depressed. "I-I'll just show her the memories now." Her horn had a purplish fog like aura surround it as she touched his head.

The memories death runner had over the past week prior to his death played out. The killing of his father to protect fluttershy, the time they spent together, his death. All of it was seen in 1 hour, as he told the purple unicorn when to watch. After the presentation of his final memories fluttershy hugged him. "Thank you for protecting me even though I don't remember "she stated. He embraced the hug. "You're welcome fluttershy. And thank you miss…" the purple horned pony smiled. "It's twilight." "Thank you twilight for showing her the memories"

A small green and purple lizard around 2' 10'' tall entered the room. "Hey twilight, hello fluttershy, hi drag… **dragon**!" the lizard yelled out. Death runner also found out he was a dragon. "Hello small lizard, are you a friend of twilight the horned pony and fluttershy the winged pony?" twilight spoke instead of spike. "I am a unicorn and fluttershy is a Pegasus. Spike here is a dragon like you" death runner nodded in understanding. "hello spike, I am death runner" he held out his clawed hand and spike eventually shook it. Death runner was more than twice the size of spike, even with him standing on two legs. Spike reminded him of his pups he had a while back on his planet. Death runner stood there with spike for a minute or two before spike spoke again. "I'm off to see rarity."

Twilight, fluttershy and death runner walked into the town. Everypony eyed him with fear but he was use to it. Eventually a cyan bodied rainbow maned Pegasus, a country pony, a pure pink pony met up. They began to talk while death runner stood there awkwardly. He smelled the familiar scent of spike and adrenaline. Something was up, he knew it. "Spikes I trouble" death runner called while running towards him.

They got spike and arrived at a field of dirt. Patches of dirt showed signs of struggle. Spike was ranting on about dogs, diamond and rarity while they ran so he put 2 and 2 together. Being dogs, he spoke in the ancient dog language. To dogs it's well known but to others it is just growls and barks. "Get out and show yourself dogs, your alpha demands it!" he was no longer fully canine, but he still knew and acted as one. Soon after some dog like creatures walked out of the holes around them. "You're not a diamond dog, you're just a dragon" one barked, still using dog code. "I am a wolf, and a dragon. You will return the pony or be killed" one of the diamond dogs charged him and was backhanded into a rock. "Do as you are told and come quietly, you have three minutes" death runner roared. They went back down the holes and poked up two minutes and 53 seconds later. Death runner did a hum of approval. "Nearly ran out of time, and I have another need. Get us three carts of gems. Chop chop" two of the diamond dogs grabbed his front legs to try to trip him. Death runner stood on two legs and pulled his front limbs so the dogs were positioned underneath them. He fell forward and crushed the two diamond dogs underneath his paws. "Hurry up with that order. Another attempt to show that you are the alpha and I shall see you all killed." Death runner pushed a corpse of the fallen dog towards them. "**Move**" they quickly gave them six carts of gems, double of what he asked. Being pleased he started to walk back towards the town with the ponies and gem carts behind him.

They returned and gave rarity all the gems. She gave death runner a small amount and he accepted after spike giving him a nudge. Spike being a dragon he probably knew what he was doing. He nudged spike while the six females went elsewhere. "So, what do I do with these?" spike looked at him with surprise. "You eat them, didn't you do that where you were from. And can I have one?" death runner gave a nod and let him take one. Death runner bit into one as well and was surprised it broke like bone upon each bite. (He was a wolf, remember that) the six returned after they ate most of the gems. "So, where do I stay when I am here?" fluttershy looked at him with sympathy. "You can stay with me as long as you don't hurt my animal friends" he smiled at this. "Sure, shall we head off, friend?"


	3. photos and dragons

Death runner and flutter shy made it back to her shelter near a forest. There were animals all over the area, every step has to be carefully placed or you may accidentally step on something. The animals were random too, as he hadn't seen half of them.

"Hello angel, how are you" fluttershy spoke, questioning a rabbit. Compared to fluttershy, the rabbit was large. Angel bunny noticed death runner and they had a starring contest. The two starred at each other with such an intensity that if you were to step into their line of vision you would melt. "Come angel you must be hungry. Follow me death runner" fluttershy snapped them out of their trance as he followed her inside.

After feeding angel fluttershy showed death runner to an elevated flat space (a bed). "Here is when you can stay for the night. Death runner do you have any other names, it's just that that name…um... It s-sound bad" death runner now just realized a large deadly looking creature with the name death runner may scare a group of small herbivores. "My other name given to me was kordijak, you can use that if you prefer." (**Kordijak: pronounced koi-r-Dee-ja-k)** fluttershy nodded. "Okay I will, kordijak. I will wake you in the morning." Kordijak (death runner, will switch between the names occasionally) sat on his sleeping space and looked out of the window. The full moon was larger than it had ever been on his planet. He walked out of the cottage and sat on the grass. Before slumber he gave one deep howl to the moon and the night.

As kordijak was walking inside he saw fluttershy nervously shaking on a couch. "What is wrong fluttershy" fluttershy jumped and hid behind angel bunny (A for effort) and looked at kordijak with fear. "t-the timber w-wolves are here k-kordijak" he looked at her and sighed "that was me howling, I apologize if I scared you. I can stay with you if you are still scared if you like." She gave a nod and wimpered. "Great, terrorizing the one I'm trying to befriend" kordijak said to himself as he laid down on the floor next to her. They laid down on the floor together, death runner protecting his friend from harm.

Kordijak got up with fluttershy laying near him. He didn't want to wake her and he also wanted to repay her. More sleep and breakfast is the perfect combo. So he got to work. With some assistance from angel, he made her some breakfast foods like toast, a plant based bacon and orange juice.

He let her sleep for an hour more than she normally does. "Fluttershy, time to get up" kordijak said as quietly as possible. She got up and noticed the time. "Oh gosh, kordijak I'm late, I have to feed the animals and…" kordijak silenced her. "Already done, just eat" fluttershy looked out the window to see that the animals were indeed fed. She began to eat the meal kordijak had prepared for her.

"Thank you kordijak, you didn't have to do that" kordijak beamed. "we're friends fluttershy, and friends help other friends out" fluttershy hugged kordijak lightly. "Thank you... friend"

Fluttershy and kordijak went off to the local spa, because fluttershy asked. Inside, they found rarity. Fluttershy and rarity went to do whatever women do in spas, kordijak didn't know, he was a wolf until a day ago. He found spike and approached him. Spike was with twilight and the pink one. "I

Have a crush on rarity!" Spike said, unaware of kordijak sneaking in behind them "what is this crush you speak of?" Kordijak asked, startling the small dragon.

"A crush is a liking on someone" twilight responded. Kordijak patted spike on the back. "Even though I did not hear the full conversation, good luck with your mating attempts with rarity" kordijak said, causing the ponies and spike to blush.

They all stood there quietly for a few seconds before spike broke the silence. "Thanks... I guess?" Kordijak gave a nod. "If you need helps with seducing your mate or telling her I will be there for you." Everything got quiet for a while. Spike blushed even harder. "Don't feel ashamed spike, what you are feeling is just emotions. As a leader and a father I can help you" spike gave a small smile, feeling awkward still "t-thanks. I appreciate that"

Rarity and fluttershy went off to rarity's shop. It was a boutique, and kordijak did not understand them. Females here care for fashion while female wolves obsess over killing ability. How civilization exists and how Timberwolves haven't killed them all he didn't know. He knew nothing of these horses and their ways.

"Spike, you are a male. To impress the female, become an alpha. Punch me" spike looked confused but did as he was told. The little dragon punched moderately hard, with enough force to nearly make kordijak stumble. "Good, now kindness is another way to help win over females. Cook for me"

Spike made a dish a whole pack could feed on. "Damn, young one. You have power and can cook, females must love you, mainly your female rarity" spike nervously smiled. "Do you think so?" Kordijak smiled as well. "Yes, I believe it. You will win over her eventually young dragon"

Soon after the conversation a blue horse with a pale mane and tail walked in with device. The device popped into a long cylinder and had a click along with a flash of light. This continued as fluttershy posed and rarity was spazing from the packround.

Very soon after the pony leaved after a conversation kordijak ignored. When she left rarity was squealing with delight. Whatever the mare said, it must have been important. In rarity's happiness she jumped up and down repeatedly, on spikes tail. Twilight pulled him back before she could destroy his tail beyond repair.

Fluttersht and rarity continued to go and meet with photo finish, leaving spike and kordijak to dragon time. "So spike, how old are you anyway?" Spike, responded full of pride "I, spike the dragon am 10 years old" kordijak nodded. "Really, so how old is everyone else?" Spike thought for a moment. "I don't know everyone's age, but they are between 16 to 18 years old". Kordijak did a grunt of acceptance. "So I'm the oldest being 19, that's something"

Due to the photo shoots, fluttershy had been getting extremely popular. While he stayed at her cottage, everywhere she went ponies photographs were put on everything, you couldn't avoid the adorableness.

This continued for quite some time, with rarity getting more and more upset while spike, kordijak, twilight and pinkie pie had to calm her down.

The four (pinkie pie, twilight, kordijak rarity) were in the spa. Kordijak went for the warm water which he was submerging in. Fluttershy burst in and began ranting about her being upset. She gave a fierce battle cry that was just above 5 decibels of volume. Twilight and fluttershy talked about her next show. Or so he thought, kordijak was submerging 99% of his body in water.

Kordijak and twilight went to the show to see fluttershy. The show was going well or at least it seemed. That was until fluttershy went south. Fluttershy began to become the embodiment of foul entertainm3nt and fashion. Koedijak was too embarrassed to watch. "By the gods, what did I watch?"

Even with the show made of poor quality and pitiful attempts, fluttershy got even more popular through it somehow. On his planet, failure wasn't rewarded.

Rarity was the most depressed he had seen her all week. She moped constantly. Fluttershy entered and told rarity how she didn't want the fame and popularity that she had received. The two happily talked and that meant spa (in the language of women)

"Hello water, we meet again" kordijak crawled into the warm blue liquid. The females talked yet again about what the learned a whatnot. Kordijak learned 2 things for this princess to know. 1) Water is everyone's friend. 2) You cannot understand women under any occasion.

Spike being the charmer he is was fanning rarity while she was in a sauna. Maybe if spike would listen to kordijak, we would achieve his goal. Dream on dragon child, dream on.

Kordijak followed fluttershy back to her cottage. "So, what was the whole fame fiasco anyway? Fluttershy kept the same calm composure, even though it upset her. "Kordijak, I ended up taking my friends dream and getting something I didn't want from it" kordijak understood. "Ah, I see. Do not worry, I will help you if you ever need it." Fluttershy smiled slightly. "Thank you"

Fluttershy's fame eventually died out and rarity's business kicked back up. During this kordijak got closer to fluttershy ever so slowly. "In time, a brief friendship may regrow. This world may hold something time and life has taken from me, a good and close friendship." Kordijak watched the stars gleam, seeming to welcome him. "Friends. Let's see if a predator can befriend the prey, a wolf and a small herbivore like with mutual benefits. Let me, let us be friends."


End file.
